The present invention relates generally to mixed media outlets that permit connection to optical and, in at least some embodiments, electrical networks and, more particularly, to a wall-mountable mixed media outlet.
It is desirable in many applications to transmit signals optically, as opposed to electrically, in view of the increased bandwidth and decreased attenuation offered by optical transmission. For example, it would be desirable to interconnect computers by an optical network since computers oftentimes transmit relatively large quantities of data at a fairly quick rate, which rate would be disadvantageously slowed if the data were instead transmitted via an electrical network. As such, increasingly larger portions of many communication networks are being converted to optical networks. By way of example, the introduction of optical fibers into network architectures has gradually moved from the curb, to the home or office building and now toward the desk.
In those networks in which optical fibers extend to the desk, a conversion must take place to allow a computer or other electronic device (hereinafter generally referenced as a computer) to communicate with the optical network since computers are typically designed to transmit and receive electrical signals. In this regard, most computers include a network interface card through which the computer transmits and receives electrical signals. In computer networks in which optical fibers extend to the desk, however, the conventional network interface card may be replaced by an optical network interface card that converts the electrical signals with which the computer communicates internally to optical signals for transmission via an optical network. Likewise, an optical network interface card converts optical signals that are received by the computer to electrical signals within the computer.
Since most computers are originally constructed to have a network interface card designed to transmit and receive electrical signals, a computer must typically be opened in order to remove the original network interface card and to insert an optical network interface card. Not only is this reconfiguration process somewhat costly and time-consuming, but many network administrators or computer owners do not desire to open their computer for fear of damaging other components of the computer or of voiding the computer""s warranty. In addition, most conventional laptop computers do not have a port that would support an optical connection such that it would be physically difficult, if not impossible, to connect most laptop computers to an optical fiber even if an optical network interface card were installed within the laptop computer.
In order to avoid opening computers in order to install an optical network interface card and to accommodate laptop computers that do not generally have a port that would support optical communications, external media converters are utilized to convert between electrical and optical signals. Media converters typically reside between the wall outlet and the computer. As such, the optical network can extend to the wall outlet and can then be optically connected to the media converter by means of a fiber optic jumper. On the other hand, the computer can be connected to the media converter by means of an electrical cable or the like. The media converter then serves to convert optical signals to electrical signals for presentation to the computer and, conversely, to convert electrical signals provided by the computer to optical signals for transmission via the optical network.
Since most media converters reside between the wall outlet and the computer, however, media converters can be somewhat unsightly and may be disadvantageously underfoot. In this regard, media converters typically lie on the floor between the wall outlet and the computer. As such, media converters can be a trip hazard and can otherwise just add to the jumble of wires extending between the computer and various wall outlets. As such, it would be desirable to have an optical network extend as close to a desk as practical without requiring the computer to be opened in order to install an optical network interface card and without requiring an external media converter that resides between the wall outlet and the computer.
While the computer networks within many office buildings are quickly being converted to optical networks, the telephone networks within the same office buildings more commonly remain as electrical networks, i.e., copper networks. In addition to the cost associated with replacing these legacy copper networks with optical networks, the voice signals transmitted by a telephone system do not generally require the bandwidth or the speed demanded by the data signals transmitted via a computer network. As such, most offices have separate outlets for connecting the telephone with the telephone network and for connecting the computer with the computer network. In addition to requiring additional hardware in order to construct the different outlets, an office having a number of different outlets can oftentimes have a rather unsightly appearance as a result of the number of wires and cables connected to the various outlets. As such, it would also be desirable to decrease the number of outlets required to interconnect a telephone and a computer with their respective networks, even in instances in which the telephone network is an electrical network and the computer network is an optical network. In addition, it would be desirable for the outlet to be positioned within an office in such a manner as to be both convenient and only minimally obtrusive.
A mixed media outlet is therefore provided that is capable of being mounted upon a wall and that includes ports that are generally designed to provide separate access to an electrical network and to an optical network. As such, the same wall mounted outlet can permit a telephone to be connected to the electrical network, and a computer to be connected to the optical network. In some embodiments, however, the mixed media outlet can instead connect the telephone to an optical network. In addition, the mixed media outlet of the present invention includes an electro-optic converter for converting between electrical and optical signals. As such, a computer that is designed to transmit and receive electrical signals, such as a computer that includes a standard electrical network interface card, can communicate, via the outlet and, in particular, the electro-optic converter, with the optical network without having any type of external media converter interposed between the outlet and the computer.
The mixed media outlet includes a housing adapted to be wall mounted and first and second ports that are disposed within an opening defined by the housing. According to one advantageous embodiment, each port includes a plurality of electrically conductive elements and is designed to receive respective electrical connectors. For example, the first port can be a data port for establishing an electrical connection with a conductive element capable of transmitting data signals, such as for establishing an electrical connection with a computer. In addition, the second port can be a voice port that typically electrically connects conductive elements located within and outside of the wall for transmitting voice signals therebetween. In this regard, the voice port can electrically connect a telephone with a telephone network in order to transmit voice signals therebetween.
The mixed media outlet permits connections to both an electrical network and an optical network as a result of the electro-optic converter. In particular, the electro-optic converter is disposed in the housing in electrical communication with at least some of the electrically conductive elements of the first port, typically the data port. The electro-optic converter can therefore convert electrical signals presented at the first port to corresponding optical signals for transmission to an optical network via an optical fiber located within the wall. Conversely, the electro-optic converter can convert optical signals delivered by the optical fiber in the wall to electrical signals for transmission via the first port to a computer, for example. Advantageously, the mixed media outlet also includes a fiber port disposed within the housing and in optical communication with the electro-optic converter. The fiber port is designed to establish communication between an optical fiber within the wall and the electro-optic converter in order to permit optical communication therebetween.
The second port, i.e., the voice port, connects voice transmission elements located within and outside of the wall in order to pass voice signals therebetween. Although the voice transmission elements can be conductive elements as described above, the voice transmission elements can alternately be optical fibers or some combination of optical fibers and conductive elements depending upon the application. In embodiments in which the voice port connects the voice transmission element outside of the wall with an optical fiber within the wall, the voice port can connect the voice transmission element outside of the wall with either the same optical fiber within the wall that is also in communication via the electro-optic converter with the data port or with a different optical fiber within the wall. As such, the mixed media outlet of this embodiment can connect a telephone with either a conventional copper network or an optical network in which the voice signals are typically transmitted as voice over IP or the like.
The mixed media outlet can also include a printed circuit board. In one embodiment, components, such as the first port, the electro-optic converter and the fiber port, are mounted upon only one side of the printed circuit board. As such, the first port and the fiber port of the mixed media outlet of this embodiment lie in the same imaginary plane. However, the mixed media outlet of one advantageous embodiment is designed such that the fiber port and at least one of the first and second ports are disposed in different imaginary planes. In this regard, the fiber port and at least one of the first and second ports can be disposed in respective imaginary planes that intersect one another. Alternatively, in embodiments in which the ports are mounted upon a printed circuit board, the fiber port and at least one of the first and second ports can be mounted upon opposite sides of the printed circuit board in order to lie in different, albeit parallel, planes.
The mixed media outlet can also include a protective subhousing covering at least the electro-optic converter for protecting the electro-optic converter from electromagnetic interference. In order to permit communication with the electro-optic converter, the protective subhousing defines openings through which the first port and the fiber port are exposed. In addition, the protective subhousing of one embodiment, is hingedly connected to at least a portion of the housing to facilitate access to the electro-optic converter and other components within the protective subhousing without completely deconstructing the mixed media outlet.
In one embodiment, the housing includes a base capable of being mounted to an electrical outlet box and a cover mounted to the base. The base defines an opening through which the optical fiber and the conductive elements that are located within the wall can enter the mixed media outlet. The base can also include at least one fiber guide for guiding the optical fiber through the mixed media outlet to the opening defined by the base. In this regard, at least one side of both the base and the cover can be curved to permit the optical fiber to be guided to the opening defined by the base without bending the optical fiber more sharply than a predetermined minimum bend radius. In one embodiment, the cover can also include first and second portions. In this embodiment, the first portion of the cover can enclose an active section of the mixed media outlet that includes the first port, the electro-optic converter and the fiber port, while the second portion of the cover can enclose a passive section of the mixed media that includes the second port.
The mixed media outlet can also include a power port for receiving electrical power from a source outside of the wall. Alternatively, the mixed media outlet can include a terminal block for establishing electrical connection with wiring located within the wall that supplies electrical power.
By including an electro-optic converter, the mixed media outlet of the present invention permits an electronic device, such as a computer, to communicate with an optical network without having to install an optical network interface card within the computer and without requiring an external media converter. In particular, the mixed media outlet of the present invention preferably includes both a voice port for permitting a telephone to be connected with either an electrical or an optical network and a data port for permitting a computer to be connected with an optical network. As such, the mixed media outlet of one advantageous embodiment provides a common outlet for establishing connections to both an optical network and an electrical network. By being mounted upon the wall, the mixed media outlet of the present invention is also unobtrusive and contributes to the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the room or office.